Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
afternoonnounUS /ˈafternoon/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
anothernounUS /ˈanother/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
any
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
August
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
Bellendean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
blank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
brokennounUS /broken/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
declaration
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
expose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
forget
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
FromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
gap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
gather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
glowingnounUS /ˈglowing/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
gone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
happen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
hardly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
heard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
interruptednounUS /ˈinterrupted/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
Joyce
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
kept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
love-tale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
lovers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
many
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
maymodal verbUS /meɪ/
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
midst
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
nevernounUS /never/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
Norman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
November
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
pair
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
questionnounUS /ˈquestion/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
reached
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
reasonsnounUS /ˈreasons/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
sign
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
slowly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
thingnounUS /thing/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
threads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
timenounUS /time/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
token
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
unanswered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A declaration interrupted, a question unanswered, may expose any pair of lovers to such a blank.
unprecedented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not an unprecedented thing that a gap like this should happen in the midst of a love-tale.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
very
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From August to November the time had gone very slowly and very hardly for Joyce.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man may be kept back by many reasons; the woman on her side cannot gather up the broken threads.
words
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After that glowing afternoon, when she had heard from Norman Bellendean words which she could never forget, not another sign or token from him had reached her.
